Chapter 54: I Support You!

Shi Yuru looked at Yan Yuanqing in surprise as he returned home before noon, her face full of confusion.

"Why are you back so early today? I remember you were supposed to be at the family’s traditional medicine hall. You’re usually not home until the afternoon."

Yan Yuanqing drained a cup of warm water from the table in one gulp. He said calmly, “Shi Tianhe and that old man wanted to put me in my place, trying to pull some feudal nonsense from ancient times, insisting I kneel to give thanks. Absurd!”

“How could I possibly do something like that?”

“So you just came back?” Shi Yuru asked cautiously.

“Not only did I come back, I also tore up the letter of appointment and left it in pieces. I’d wager Shi Tianhe is fuming by now.”

After he spoke, Yan Yuanqing glanced at Shi Yuru, expecting her to be worried for him. To his surprise, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Haha! I bet it’s been years since the head of the family was confronted like that. You’re probably the first in the family to do it.”

“Don’t worry, you did the right thing. Even if he’s the head of the family, times have changed—there’s no need for blind obedience like before. I support what you did today. But you must be careful from now on!”

“There are plenty of spies both inside and outside the Shi family. The moment you step out the door, you might be targeted by someone, so you must be cautious!”

Yan Yuanqing hadn’t expected Shi Yuru to be so decisive in her support, and a warmth bloomed in his heart. As their relationship gradually thawed like melting ice and snow, through more intimate moments, each discovered shining qualities in the other that they had never noticed before.

This only drew them closer, as if a magnet was binding them together.

“Don’t worry—there’s no one in the Shi family who can threaten me. People like that simply don’t exist.”

“What I’m most concerned about now is you. From now on, I’ll drive you to work every day, and you must always keep your phone on and reachable.”

Seeing the concern in Yan Yuanqing’s eyes, Shi Yuru blushed, her delicate face tinged with red. The sight made Yan Yuanqing momentarily dazed.

He had never seen Shi Yuru act this way in front of him. She was finally no longer the cold, emotionless beauty he once knew, but now, like any ordinary woman before the one she loves, she’d shed all her masks and defenses, allowing her emotions to surface freely.

“Yan Yuanqing, you’d better come clean and tell me what you’ve done today!”

Before they could say more, Ji Chunyan stormed into the house, furious.

She marched straight up to Yan Yuanqing and reached out, trying to grab his ear, but he dodged her with a slight movement.

“You dare dodge me? Think you’re so justified? Look at the mess you’ve made today! Are you trying to ruin life for the two of us?”

“How dare you offend Shi Tianhe, how dare you offend the whole Shi family? Who do you think you are? If it weren’t for the two of us, you’d have starved on the streets long ago! Who else would take you in except us?”

Clearly, Ji Chunyan had already heard about what happened at the medicine hall, so she had dropped everything and rushed back to demand an explanation.

Before Yan Yuanqing could respond, Shi Yuru tried to calm her mother.

“Mom, please calm down. At least hear the whole story before you say anything, all right?”

Ji Chunyan turned away, giving her daughter a look of deep disappointment, as if her heart were breaking.

“You, honestly, you’d let yourself be sold and still help count the money for your seller. What’s so good about this man? What truth could there be? The truth is, this useless man has shown blatant disrespect to the head of the family and to the entire Shi clan!”

“He’s already become a rat that everyone in the clan wants to chase out—do you really want to live like this in the future?”